ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



1509 



lESENTING THE NATIONAL COLORS TO THE ZOOLOGICAL PARK GUARDS 

 ;be receiving the flag. 



Cross, and we have ploughed and planted all 

 of our land that we can spare for the increase 

 of the food supply of our animals. 



But those industries alone are not enough. 

 Living as we do in the most populous city of 

 our country, we are surrounded by many grave 

 possibilities, and some actual dangers. We 

 know not how soon we may be called upon to 

 meet mob violence within, or hostile attack from 

 without. 



This company, Mr. President, is an earnest 

 of our intention to be prepared to meet even 

 the gravest emergencies. The Zoological Park 

 Guards have been organized for serious work, 

 and by the Zoological Society Company A has 

 been uniformed, armed and equipped on that 

 basis. This is not a company of play soldiers. 

 These are red-blooded men, many of whom dur- 

 ing their years of service in the Zoological Park 



have faced perils and dangers of many kinds, 

 without flinching. Not one of these men ever 

 has shown fear in the face of danger. They 

 have volunteered in this organization to do se- 

 rious work in the defense of the Zoological 

 Park, the city of New York, our state and the 

 nation's flag; and wherever they are placed to 

 do duty, they will make good. 



These men, Mr. President, are armed with 

 real guns, and it is a rather saddening fact that 

 of all the Home Defense companies of this City, 

 ours is the only one actually armed. We owe 

 a great debt to Captain John levers and his 

 officers of the 68th Police Precinct for the time 

 and effort that they have spent in drilling this 

 company, in the most up-to-date military tac- 

 tics, and making it what you see it today. 

 The Company, is now one of the defense units 

 of the Home Defense League of New York, 

 and it is subject to the call of Captain levers 



